Episode 8 of Carnival Row's enthralling second season, aptly titled 'Facta Non Verba,' commences with the supernatural inhabitants of the Row eerily returning, shrouding the streets in a veil of mystery. Philo, his hands stained with Berwick's blood, utters a haunting scream, echoing through the already tense atmosphere.
Louisa and Leonid, puzzled by the recent attack, find themselves confronted by a cordon of police encircling Spurnrose's residence. Their attempts to gain entry are met with firm resistance from the law enforcement. However, the door creaks open to reveal Agreus, leaving them both stunned and bewildered.
The narrative shifts to the turbulent scenes in Ragusa, where the Pact wages a relentless war against the rebels. Amidst the chaos, a crew member falls victim to the violence, his life extinguished in an instant. Agreus, Imogen, and Ezra find refuge within a secluded house, but their sanctuary is short-lived as they come under attack. In a desperate moment, Agreus's powers surge, inadvertently transforming one of the soldiers into a rampaging werewolf. Imogen, swift and decisive, aids him in subduing the beast.
Ezra, seemingly resigned to their fate, suggests surrendering to the Burgue, allies of the Pact. Agreus, however, urges them to flee inland, a plan that fills Ezra with discontent. As he follows the couple, he snatches a gun from a fallen rebel, his eyes glinting with malice.
Their journey becomes fraught with tension as Ezra relentlessly taunts Agreus and Imogen. When his barbs fail to elicit a reaction, he unveils a damning secret: Imogen's past of poisoning her fiancés, driving them away due to her fear of spinsterhood. This revelation explains her unmarried status when Agreus first encountered her, casting a shadow over her reputation.
Agreus, with a tinge of empathy, confesses that he too harbors regrets, having once gained his freedom through the betrayal of fellow slaves attempting escape. His words resonate with a sense of shared darkness, and he further reveals his descent into greed, transforming into a bounty hunter who hunted his own kind.
Ezra, unable to contain his amusement, mocks their shared baggage, seeing them as two peas in a pod. But just as he thinks he's gained the upper hand, the trio stumbles upon Pact soldiers. Ezra, gun in hand, rushes forward, only to be tackled by Agreus, who pins him down while keeping watch over the approaching soldiers.
As the soldiers fade into the distance, Imogen, her eyes steely, silences Ezra permanently by clamping her hand over his mouth and nose. Her actions continue long after his life ceases, a testament to the gravity of the moment and the depths they've plumbed.
Imogen finds herself ensnared in a web of disbelief, her mind reeling from the aftermath. Agreus, striving to navigate their path forward, endeavors to reassure her of her choices, yet his words inadvertently echo those of Ezra, casting a shadow of manipulation, whether deliberate or not. She jolts awake to this realization, declaring with determination that a lifetime of being told what to do has ended; her newfound freedom is not to be relinquished, even for the sake of love.
Just as their predicament seems to solidify, Kastor and his entourage materialize, their discovery of Ezra's lifeless form betraying their hiding spot. They are swiftly bound and escorted back to the bustling port city, their journey punctuated by a grim spectacle: thousands of enemy corpses floating lifelessly in the sea, a testament to the recent battle's ferocity. Kastor, unyielding, orders Ezra's remains to be cast among them, provoking Imogen's heartrending sobs as she clings to his lifeless form.
Leonora's arrival brings news of the Pact's downfall, a fact that some struggle to accept. She assigns them, alongside Kastor, as her envoys, tasked with forging a peace accord between the New Dawn and the Burgue.
As they tread into the Burgue's domain, Winetrout, Fletcher, and Millworthy greet them with a chilliness that borders on hostility. Agreus is met with disdain, while Imogen's request for an audience with the parliament is met with a stony refusal. Undaunted, she cites her constitutional right as a citizen, her involvement paramount to the nation's wellbeing, a revelation that prompts Millworthy's acknowledgment of Leonora's shrewd choice in selecting her as an emissary.
The scene shifts, painting a vivid picture of Leonid and Louisa's astonishment as Imogen confidently strides out, positioning herself by Agreus' side. Her solemn announcement of Ezra's demise sends shockwaves through the gathering, their minds reeling at the thought of her being alone with Agreus. Their hands intertwine momentarily, eliciting gasps from onlookers, before they hastily disengage, apologizing for the fleeting intimacy.
At the harbor's edge, Dombey confronts Philo with a fury born of betrayal, railing against his trust in one who sought escape to Tirnanoc. Philo, unfazed, reveals a pivotal detail: the Sparas' gender holds the key, for it is the males who wield their spinal teeth in deadly fashion, whereas the females do not. The revelation hangs heavy in the air as they are confronted with a grisly spectacle—the tide brings in a tide of Burguish Marines, their bodies washed ashore, a grim reminder of the war's toll.
Dombey ponders the enigmatic presence of the Marines aboard the vessel, while Philo, with a stroke of insight, deduces that the Burgue, emboldened by the Pact's departure, aimed to reclaim Tirnanoc. In the chaotic Row, Darius anxiously scours for Tourmaline, his relief palpable upon spotting her amidst the tumult. Her eyes betray her terror, and he vows to shield her from the relentless Sparas.
Elsewhere, Vignette's fury towards the Black Raven burns bright, as she cunningly baits them with a message, luring them into her trap. Kaine, unsuspecting, falls prey to her ruse and finds himself facing her wrath. She chastises him for jeopardizing their escape, only to be swiftly incapacitated by Phaedra's hand. Awakening to find herself shackled in Boz's subterranean lair, the new lair of the Black Raven, Vignette's anger simmers into a raging inferno. Yet, they inform her that the ship was but a cunning trap, and Leonora steps forward, her gaze stern, inquiring if Vignette is prepared to lead them in their endeavors.
Millworthy's visage is marred by sorrow as he pays his respects to the fallen soldiers, his solitude interrupted by Philo's confrontation. Philo's query, laden with suspicion, probes if he was privy to the soldiers' presence on the ship. Millworthy's confession is stunning; he was the architect behind the scheme, leveraging the Burgue's intention to reclaim Tirnanoc by turning the fae into a living shield against any lingering Pact resistance.
Philo's comprehension dawns, realizing that the Black Raven, aware of the deception, had retaliated. The mystery of the Sparas' aid, despite its hand in Dahlia's demise, piques their curiosity. Millworthy sheds light, revealing whispers of New Dawn emissaries whose arrival may not be mere happenstance. They surmise that the Sparas is intricately entwined in this web of intrigue, and with the Pact vanquished, the New Dawn has set its sights on the Burgue, igniting a revolution in its wake.
